A review by azieyosabor
Only a Chance by Delancey Stewart

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

“em. you forgave, and you forced me to see that holding onto all the pain was eating me alive. eating us. you saved us, basically.”

➛ plot summary:
the story kicks off with emily dealing with some heavy stuff after her brother died in a navy accident. being a travel writer who's not big on venturing too far, she ends up reviewing kasper ridge, a lodge in colorado. the twist? it's owned by the dude linked to her brother's accident, archie kasper. for years emily's dad paints this guy, archie, as a heartless monster, who took his only son from him, but emily's not sold on that. so, she sets out to uncover the real truth about archie and her brother’s death. turns out, archie's carrying guilt for his friend's death and now lives a secluded mountain life. emily, curious and all, starts getting close to him. can she mend his heart and make him realize he's not to blame? they team up for a treasure hunt, and yeah, she does help him heal. but the big question: can their love survive when archie figures out emily's true identity?

➛ tropes:
⤷ a brother’s best friend
⤷ fake identity romance
— genre: contemporary romance

oml, kinda feeling awkward 'cause i'm like the only one not giving this book 4 or 5 stars. 😅 but hey, i'll own it – let's call it a “me problem.”

now, gonna spill the tea on what didn't vibe with me in this book 🙃

➛ 1) the pacing:
guess what? i finished this book in, like, less than an hour! normally, that's cool 'cause it means i'm hooked, but this time? nah. it's weird – i zoomed through it, but now it's like, what even happened? 😀 no memories, no feelings, just nada. not love, not hate, just a blank…

this book's speed is crazy, like the fastest thing i've ever read. it snatches you up and sprints, everything's crazy fast, and bam, you're at the end. i swear, a minute ago, the main characters just met, and suddenly, epilogue time 😭. the speed stressed me out, not gonna lie.

➛ 2) emily schaeffer (FMC):
ugh, seriously, she got on my last nerve 😐. like, i couldn't get her at all, and it was kinda dumb. i'm legit baffled thinking about her – so irritating, i couldn't deal. and why's she playing the guilt card ALL THE TIME? it's not a crime wanting to know about her brother’s death, right? so, she goes and meets archie, who was INVOLVED in the accident, but keeps it a secret who she really is. which like, what was the point in doing so? 😭 anyway, now she’s on a insufferable guilt trip. i don't get it – so many “guilts” in her chapters, i almost lost it.

➛ 3) the romance:
just gotta say two words: forced and unreal. the book's speed? so was their relationship “development” if you even wanna call it that. they meet, chat, dive deep into talks – cool, right? but bam! after just one convo, she's all into him, forgetting why she's even at his retreat. okay, some people catch feelings quick, fair enough. but then, bam again –INSTALUST/LOVE. ugh, hate that. it's not even fun; i'm all about slow burns. this one? zero development, just dragged into their speed race 🥱. and how did she fall in love so darn fast with the guy her family blamed for her brother’s death for years? like, did she forget herself? 😭 after their first time sleeping together, it's all “can't live without you” vibe – snooze. then the big reveal about her identity, a third-act-breakup (that's short-lived), and poof, back together, happily in love. didn't vibe with me; their romance felt so pushed and just not real 🤷🏾‍♀️

➛ overall:
yeah, this one didn't really do it for me. it was kinda overwhelming and forgettable. no vibes with the characters or the story, you know? full disclosure, i've never read anything from this author or the other books in the series, so maybe that's why it didn't click 🤷🏾‍♀️. but i'm still gonna give archie's sister and will's story a shot – they seemed cute 😋. not much else to say, so i'm wrapping up the review. props to the author, though. it's not a bad book; it's just a “me” thing. still gonna recommend it 'cause others are loving it.

“only a chance” by delancey stewart drops on march 7th, 2024! get ready to splurge on that book! 💸🗓️

”thank you netgalley, victory editing netgalley co-op, and the author for sending me a copy of this e-arc. opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”